The Severity of Cyber security Threats

by
Veriato
| May 09, 2018

Across every major news outlet the topic of cyber security threats and data privacy are impossible to miss. From multinational companies being relieved of millions of credit card numbers, to foreign hacking, to the selling of user data via social media, digital security is clearly more important than ever. Threats are being realized by vulnerable organizations large and small. The fallout of these breaches has also been widespread and include everything from lasting negative impact on stock prices to loss of customers and even complete loss of consumer trust. Threats of hacking in are high, but organizations would be remiss to not make efforts to detect cyber security threats from insiders as well.

Carelessness, negligence, or compromised credentials from inside an organization make up more than half of security threats when compared to malicious intent. In fact, the most common culprit, by far, of data breaches are accidental exposure by employees. Cyber security threat experts note that what’s known as “phishing” has become the largest vulnerability when it comes to an organization's digital security. Phishing attacks trick employees into sharing sensitive company information and can lead to catastrophic damages.

Fallout, detection & prevention

But how does one detect a cyber security threat from an insider exactly? It’s not an easy process — in fact, simply relying on human detection and intervention is archaic in today’s digital world. It’s far too easy for an employee to move information from an organization’s network to USB drives, cloud storage, or their own personal devices. It’s also possible that an employee simply forgot to log out, or logged into an unsecure network, or a multitude of other seemingly innocuous actions that could bring an entire organization to its knees.

In recent cases, organizations that have knowingly failed to take preventative action against cyber security threats have found themselves in severe legal troubles, leading to a multitude of damages both financial and of reputation.

Luckily there are tools available to assist in the detection, some smart enough to preemptively identify higher threat risks before they become a problem. When searching, make sure to look for a security tool that offers actionable intelligence into the activities and behaviors of users. As more and more information finds itself in a digital format, it's imperative to find the right software to detect and prevent insider threats.